In the Darkness of the Night
by Wolffie12
Summary: Bad dreams are never an easy thing to overcome. When Tenten's are keeping her awake and her daily training is beginning to suffer, Neji must step in to fix the situation. NejiTen


**In the Darkness of the Night**

**Author's Note:** It's been a while since I've posted anything here on . Most of my posting has been on DeviantArt but I thought I should add some of those pieces over here, too. If you like this feel free to go browse my DeviantArt page. The link is on my profile page.

~Wolffie12

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><p>Faces.<p>

They were everywhere around me. Mostly unclear, like shadows, but a few were so vivid I could do nothing but stare. And then I screamed.

Sitting bolt upright, the scream came out of me until I recognized my bedroom. My curtains. My dresser. Everything around me was familiar but I couldn't stop the shaking.

My palms and face were dripping with sweat. It was hard to breath. Air was only slowly getting into me by the gasping deep breaths I was trying to make.

Those faces. I could still see those faces even now that I was wide awake. Which were more frightening, the clear ones or the shadowy ones, I didn't know.

Once I was breathing somewhat normally, I got out of bed. The blackness outside my window meant it was still a far cry from morning. And crying was exactly what I was trying not to do. Grabbing my robe to fight the chill of the fall night, I went to the kitchen. Each lamp and light was turned on in my wake.

The kitchen wasn't very big or comforting so I made some hot chocolate and went to sit on the living room couch. I curled my feet up under me. Chocolate filled my belly and gave a warmth to my entire body.

There was no way I was going to be able to sleep again. Not with thoughts of those faces so near in mind. I shuddered just thinking about them.

The Akatsuki.

I didn't know much about them other than they are enemies of the village. Supposedly men, rogue to their former nations, who had some plan to do more harm than good to the world. I'd seen only a few of their faces; those which were always clear in my dreams. Itachi. Kisame. Deidara. The rest were all shadows to me. They could walk right up to me and I probably wouldn't even know it.

Shaking my head of those bad images didn't make me feel much better. I finished my hot chocolate in a few gulps before snuggling down into the sofa.

Kittens… rainbows… butterflies… "Come on. Have to think of happy things," I said out loud. It was easier said than done.

I clicked the television on instead, giving up thinking of happy things and switching my mind over to watching middle of the night infomercials. The mindless droning let me fall into a light doze, not fully asleep but not fully awake either.

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><p>Sunlight glared in at me through a crack in the curtains. That was as good a signal as any to get up, too. I hadn't really gotten back to sleep.<p>

"Might as well get to the training field early for some extra target practice since I'm awake anyway." I sighed knowing it would probably be a very long day.

Gathering my gear was easy as it was still in a pile on the floor where I'd dumped it the night before. It was moved to the recently vacated couch. An extra scroll full of shuriken was tossed from my bookshelf to join everything.

Before I could go take a quick shower, I needed to start the rice cooker. Yesterday I'd promised Lee I would bring him some onigiri for lunch.

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><p>I was not surprised to see I was the first person to the training ground. The sky was only dimly lit. Stars were faintly twinkling. Neji would be the next one to arrive, but it would still be a couple hours. Company wasn't anything I really wanted to deal with right now anyway.<p>

My gear was put in the normal place, minus one of my newer weapons scrolls. Executions with had been difficult the past few days. I set up my desired targets and got in my opening stance.

After running through my standard routine, I was in my element. This clearing, this training was my saving grace. My apartment wasn't home anymore. Right here… this is where I belonged.

By then the sun was gaining height in the sky. The others would be there soon. I decided to take a short break to catch my breath before Guy-sensei made me run like a thousand laps around Konoha.

A recent thunderstorm had left many large mud puddles near the trees and across the field. Just about the only dry place to sit was under Neji's tree.

I shrugged. "When he gets here I'll move."

Getting comfortable in this spot was surprisingly easy. No wonder he always picks this tree. The bark was smooth and sloped at a perfect angle for leaning against. It didn't hurt my head or mess up my buns as I rested. A stream of sunshine broke through the branches above to surround me in a ring of warmth.

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><p>I must have had my eyes closed loner than I thought because the next thing I knew the light over me darkened into shadows. Someone was standing over me silhouetted in bright light. His presence was familiar as I squinted up at him, his eyes narrowed back at me.<p>

"…"

I stood up at this. Neji was unhappy about something. It was best not to prod the lion. "Sorry Neji. You can have your spot back. What time is it anyway?" I stretched my arms as I said this last part. The sun was much higher than I thought it should be.

Instead of an answer he merely walked to the center of out training ground and got into his opening stance. "Let's go."

"Don't you want to meditate first? Like always?"

He didn't move.

"What's wrong? I already apologized for taking your spot. It was dry and I was tired. I haven't exactly been sleeping well lately…"

His eyebrows furrowed minutely, something nobody but I would have noticed. That was the thing about Neji. If you knew what to look for in his movements and his micro expressions, he was fairly easy to understand. Not many people had the patience or the stomach to get to know him that well, though.

Neji didn't change his stance. Sighing, I moved out into the clearing. He was upset with me. The best way to fix that was to spar.

This kind of training was strenuous and pushed our bodies to their limits. At least this should wear me out enough to get some decent sleep tonight.

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><p>I heard the power surge as I was lying in bed. My window went dark. All the lights in the city had gone out. Rain was pounding on the roof.<p>

Shivers ran through my body. I wasn't cold, though. Something in me was just on edge, but I was too exhausted to figure out what.

I flopped back on to my pillows, only to immediately bolt upright as lightning flashed and thunder shook the room. The lightning kept flashing sporadically casting shadows across the walls. Images emerged in the darkness.

Faces. It was those faces again.

"Why do I keep the candles and flashlights in the kitchen," I wailed. There was no way I was leaving the safety of my bed. I buried my face in the pillow I was hugging.

"Come on Tenten. You are a strong kunoichi. There's nothing to be scared of. The sounds aren't real. The shadowy figures aren't real."

Branches from the trees continued to hit the house. Rain hammered the roof. I heard the screeching of my screen door.

"It's just the wind… it's just the wind…"

Suddenly my bedroom door burst open at the same moment as a flash of lightning. There was a person standing there. I dove to the floor reaching out for any of my weapons and taking cover by my bed.

A slight chuckle sounded from the doorway.

My head peeked up. "Neji?" I couldn't see him well in the dark. "What are you doing here?"

His frame became illuminated when he lit the small paper lantern he was holding. Water was dripping from his hair and clothes.

I stood up and walked toward him.

"Are you going to attack me with that?" He indicated the kunai still clutched in my hand.

"Oh! No. Come in here. You're soaked." I put the weapon down, stepping into the hallway to grab a towel out of the closet.

I traded him the towel for the paper lantern. I set it on the nightstand and turned back to him. Neji was still dripping wet. His gaze was intently locked on me though.

Looking down, I realized I was wearing nothing but a skimpy tanktop and some short-shorts. I blushed and tried to avert his stare. "Here. Let me help you with that water." I tried to take the towel back from him.

He shrugged away and began drying his hair.

"Neji, you haven't told me why you're here yet…"

"…"

"Neji?"

"… I thought you could use the company. Especially tonight during the storm." He finished with his hair and moved on to the rest of him. The towel was sopping by now so he tossed it toward my laundry basket.

"What are…"

He raised his head back up to look at me. "I know you haven't been sleeping well. I knew that before you told me this morning. What I want to know is why you didn't say anything sooner." His eyes hardened.

"…" I was at a loss for words.

"Tell me why. Now."

Our eyes locked. I couldn't look away. My feet moved toward him of their own accord. He reached up and tucked a piece of loose hair behind my ear. Tears started to well up in my eyes without any permission.

I don't know why I was getting all worked up over this. Maybe it was the dreams I'd been having. Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe it was the storm. Or maybe it was the fact that Neji cared enough to realize I needed him right now. He knew me better than anyone. I shouldn't have been surprised by his next words.

"You're dreaming of the Akatsuki, aren't you?" it was said so quietly I wasn't sure he'd really said anything at all.

I fell forward into his chest wrapping my arms around him. My sobs were muffled by his shirt.

Another flash of lightning and crack of thunder from outside had me springing back from him.

"I'm sorry Neji. I didn't mean to cry all over you. I'm fine now. Really."

"My shirt was wet already anyway." He smirked. He also gave a small involuntary shiver.

"You need to get out of those clothes. Guy-sensei won't be happy if you catch a cold because of me."

"I'll be fine. If you're okay, then I should be going…" My head just slowly nodded in response. I didn't want him to go, though. "…unless you want me to stay?"

He left the question hanging.

My better judgment told me he was right. Neji should go. It wasn't appropriate for him to stay the night with me outside of missions. My body disagreed.

Stepping toward him again, I used the light of the lantern to pivot his body to face me. No words left my mouth as I began undoing the ties on his shirt.

He stared down at me, not trying to stop me.

Once his shirt hung open I pushed it off his shoulders to the floor. Warm hands held my waist to steady him while he kicked the boots he'd failed to remove at the door off. They joined the white cloth of his shirt.

We were still staring at each other. Light flickered from the candle-lit lantern at our side.

Neji made no other attempts to move. He was allowing me to maintain control of the situation. It was so unlike him.

I dropped to my knees in front of him. His hands transferred from my hips to my hair. White eyes watched me grab on to his waistband and pull down in a slow motion. He stepped out of the fabric.

Still on my knees, I leaned my head to rest my forehead on his thigh. Neji reached down to help me stand.

"That's good enough. I don't want you to push yourself to do something neither of us is ready for." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and placed his chin on the top of my head. I smiled into his neck.

"I never would have guessed green. Lee would be so proud,"

"Hn."

Laughing at his response, I brought the comforter down to the foot of the bed and pushed him to sit. I sat next to him.

"Don't tell him.' Neji's stern look was betrayed by him laying back into the pillows, taking me with him.

I curled into his body, resting my head on his exposed chest. Neji's arms pulled me closer and held me tight. Fingers danced uncertainly on the bottom hem of my tanktop before sliding under the cream fabric to massage my back.

"Mmmm. That feels good." His hands moved up higher.

"So, tell me about these dreams. You've been tired for weeks. Are they really that bad?"

"Huh? Oh… yeah. I keep seeing faces. Both clear ones and unclear ones. I don't want to talk about them, though. Not while we're laying here like this. Besides I don't think I'll be having anymore of them tonight at least." I nuzzled my nose against him. Neji squeezed me tighter. "You're good at keeping nightmares away."

"So does that mean I have to come over here every night?"

I looked up into his eyes. "Only if you want."

Faster than the flash of lightning out my window, Neji hauled me up on top of him and captured my mouth with his.

After I was convinced I knew the answer, I leaned back to look at him again. "I take that to mean you want to?"

"Hn."

I poked him in the side giggling. I wanted a real answer out of him.

"Do you really need to ask? Here. Let me show you." With that he recaptured my mouth. Minutes later and sufficiently breathless we separated.

I yawned. My eyes were drooping. Neji pressed my head into his neck.

"Get some rest Tenten. I'll be here to keep away the bad dreams."

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><p>That night I didn't wake up screaming to mysterious faces in my dreams. Instead I woke up in the morning to see Neji's perfect face staring back at me.<p> 


End file.
